「罪」的定義，有兩個面向，第一個面向是來自道德判斷，而道德判斷通常會牽涉到整個社會文化價值觀的制約，第二個面向，則是個人內心對於「罪」的良心反應。本文探討的重點，並不在於「罪」或「不罪」的社會制約面，而在於「罪惡感」乃至於「罪惡情結」在人類「意志自由」範疇所產生的正向與負向影響。筆者以為，「罪惡感」是人類心靈最深層的覺知能力之一，它可以激發人改過向善，而且不用他人來教導，「罪惡感」，包括羞愧、不安、臉紅、心跳加快等身心反應，都會伴隨著發生。從這個角度來說，「罪惡感」是人類道德規範的自然基礎之一，而司法程序中「測謊機」的客觀效力，也是在這個基礎上建立起來，這是「罪惡感」的正向效應。然而，「罪惡感」也可以成為人類心靈深處最沉重的枷鎖，壓制人的善根開發，造成一個人自卑、怯懦、自責、自我否定、自暴自棄，因而扭曲人格的正向發展。 《金雲翹傳》是明末清初的章回小說，本身所描寫的是有關一個良家才女「王翠翹」為了救父賣身而被迫淪墜風塵的悲劇故事。小說中的女主角雖只是王翠翹一人而已，但她所面對的倫理困境及其內在的心靈創傷，卻可能在不同的世代、不同的無辜者身上不斷地重複下去。小說中嘗試用一套「靈肉二元的貞潔觀」來化解王翠翹的倫理困境，但筆者以為，這種說法可能把被迫從娼的心靈情境過度簡單化了，與其說這個說法是在歌頌愛情的力量，不如說是小說的作者一種理想主義的自我安慰罷了。 本文的重點在於，透過這部小說有關「罪惡感」的敘述，來探討「罪惡感」的本質，並且探討如何療癒「罪惡感」對人類心靈的傷害，以及如何轉化「罪惡感」，使之成為生命向上的動力，這是生命終極覺醒的重要課題。

The definition of “Guilt” comes from moral judgment. Morality consists of the value system of the society and the culture. On the other hand, a sense of “guilt” is a reaction someone has towards the “Guilt”. How to define whether something is “Guilty” or not, there are different interpretations. As a matter of fact, sense of “guilt” is a mental activity that is shared across all human beings. The author of this article believes that this sense of guilt is one of the most powerful forces in human awareness. However, it can also be a heavy lock of the deep human spirit. It can encourage someone to do something virtuous. It can also suppress the development of someone’s good nature. “A Tale of Kim Vân Kiều” is a Chinese novel written in the end of Ming Dynasty. It is a tragedy about a young girl, Kiều, who became a prostitute in order to save her father. The moral dilemma she faced and the wound she carried with her can be found across the history among many innocent victims. Although in the novel, the author tried to use the “duality of the soul and body” to solve the moral dilemma of Kiều, it is merely a placebo. This essay would love to reflect on the “guilt complex” in this novel to discuss the essence of the feeling of guilt and how to heal the wound it causes in human mind. It also discusses how to transform a sense of guilt to a positive energy of life. This is a critical issue in the ultimate realization of life.